There is no reprieve on the cost of living which keeps rising in Montserrat, with the rise in tariff on imports and now the continuing escalation of gasoline prices.

Anyone who has not yet booked a vehicle for use during the Festival season will not be lucky to find one, they are reportedly all solidly booked. The bus drivers and operators may find they have to revisit their bus schedules and up their service.

All this because of the extra cost that residents and visitors now have to contend with – thirty (30) cents in the price of gasoline. As of Sunday this week, November 25the price of gasoline increased to $18.48 a gallon from 18.18.

Meanwhile the news was in the reverse, better for diesel vehicles users and all should see a reduction in their December electricity bills. The price of diesel fell to $15.87 from $16.36 providing a savings of $0.49.

One regular returning Montserratian Christmas visitor who regularly participates in the entertainment activities, told ZJB news, “We’re wounded half of the country is wounded and we should be getting more help and not jacking up everything. Things should be coming down for the people in Montserrat because Montserrat is a wounded country – you see, I don’t think it’s fair and the government need to check into it, ease the pressure on Montserratians, please. Ease the pressure for everybody because the country can’t take this, this is over recession, this is going into a depression…”

Delta Manager Roselyn Cassell-Sealy explains that the price of petroleum products is not set by Delta, neither the regional head office Delta nor the local office in Montserrat. She said in a report: “…these prices are calculated by the government of Montserrat, based on the price that Delta indicates that they bought it for plus the shipping cost, plus whatever other related costs. This price is then calculated by the government and we pass that price on to the people of Montserrat…”

There is the observation that while it is not obviously noted by many residents, any increase in petrol prices automatically increases the costs of goods and services, which when increased do not reverse, even when the said prices are decreased.